Bali parasols are among the more misunderstood things we sell, because we stock two ranges that look alike in photographs and are built for entirely different purposes.
Getting this wrong is expensive, so here is the distinction first.
Indoor or outdoor, and why it matters
| Indoor decor parasols | Outdoor patio parasols | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 40cm | 1.5m and 2m |
| Built for | Display. A corner, a hallway, a shop window, a wedding | Shade. Actual sun, actual wind |
| Price | £40.99 to £51.99 | Priced in store |
| Frame | Light, decorative | Structural |
| Outdoors? | No. Not even briefly | Yes, with care |
The 40cm indoor pieces are not small outdoor parasols. They are decorative objects at a decorative scale, and putting one outside in a British spring is a way of destroying it in a fortnight.
The indoor range
Five pieces at 40cm, all hand painted, and the fabric choice matters more than the colour.
Canvas is the heavier of the two and holds its shape better over years. The natural canvas at £40.99 is the quiet one and disappears into a neutral scheme. The canvas with gold decor at £48.99 is the one people buy when they want it seen.
Cotton is lighter and takes colour more vividly. The turquoise and pink are £40.99, and the blue at £51.99 carries more painted detail.
Where they work indoors is a corner where you would otherwise put a plant and cannot, a hallway with a high ceiling, a bay window, or above a bed as an unusual alternative to art. Our guide to styling a Balinese parasol covers arrangement.
The outdoor range
1.5m and 2m, in cotton and canvas, built to be used. These are proper parasols with a structural frame.
Realistic expectations matter here, so we would rather set them. A Bali parasol is a hand made object in painted fabric, not an engineered garden product with a ten year guarantee. In British weather it will fade, and the rate depends almost entirely on how you treat it.
Our article on how long a Balinese parasol really lasts in British weather is honest about the numbers.
Making an outdoor one last
Three habits, and they are the whole difference between two seasons and six.
Close it when you are not under it. Ultraviolet is what fades hand painted fabric, and an open parasol in July is taking full sun for eight hours whether anyone is sitting beneath it or not.
Never leave it wet and closed. Damp fabric folded tight grows mould, and mould on painted cotton does not come out. Open it to dry before storing.
Bring it in for winter. Not a suggestion. A parasol left out from October to March in Britain is finished. Our guide to how long a parasol lasts in British weather covers doing it properly.
Wind, which is the real enemy
More parasols are destroyed by a single gust than by a whole summer of sun. A 2m parasol is a sail, and a British gust arrives without warning.
Use a proper weighted base rather than a light one. Close it whenever you leave the garden, not only overnight. And site it with some shelter on the prevailing side, which in most of Britain means the south west.
Which to buy
If you want an object, buy indoor at 40cm. If you want shade, buy outdoor and commit to the routine. If you want an outdoor look indoors, buy indoor, because the outdoor sizes are genuinely large in a room.
The full range is in our Balinese parasol collection and the indoor pieces are in decorative indoor parasols.
Questions people ask
Can I use an indoor Bali parasol outside?
No. The 40cm indoor pieces are decorative objects with a light frame, and British weather will destroy one within weeks.
What size Bali parasol do I need?
40cm for indoor display. 1.5m or 2m for actual shade outdoors. There is nothing in between, because the two ranges do different jobs.
How long does a Bali parasol last outdoors?
It depends almost entirely on habits. Closed when not in use, dried before storing and brought in for winter, several seasons. Left open all summer and out all winter, one.
Canvas or cotton?
Canvas is heavier and holds its shape better over years. Cotton is lighter and takes colour more vividly. Indoors either is fine, outdoors canvas is the more durable.
What actually destroys them?
Wind more than sun. A 2m parasol is a sail. Use a weighted base and close it whenever you leave the garden.
